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| Edinburgh Harbour |
The drive between Calgary and Saskatoon has a portion that is long, straight and dull. There are no twists or turns. The horizon and the road meet at some distant spot beyond view. I commented on the boredom that accompanies such an unchanging landscape. Then I turned my head. The gentle undulating hills and open prairie was interrupted by a coulee, a rugged gash that cut through the land. The effect caused sharp shadows that highlighted the sharp drops of the land. Light and shadow bring the area to life, they catch the eye and add interest. Further down the road, ranch land gives way to crop land. The vista remains large and unconfined. The possibilities seemingly endless or exceptionally boring depending on your point of view. We paused to take a picture of the golden fields as the sun began to set. Two very different views in this vast vibrant land that could have been lost in the mundane monotony of the drive.
This past spring, I commented that I don't want to make a bucket list. From my point of view, it limits the possibilities. A bucket list requires its creator to consider life from their vantage point and choose the things they hope for. It sounds like a good way to dream of possibilities. Each choice has the potential to expand or contract your view. Once the list is complete, you start working your way through it. Each time you do something from the list you remove it. Step by step, the bucket becomes empty. Then what?
I sat on a hilltop overlooking the Edinburgh harbour. As I watched a cruise ship head out to the North Sea, the vista in front of me was awe inspiring. I sat on the grass and caught a glimpse of the vastness of the sea. Behind me lay the city which encircled the base of the hill. Then the sun began to set. Clouds of an offshore storm fought with the colours of the sunset for our attention. I could smell the grass the sea and the storm as the wind cooled my skin.
One the way back to our hotel room, I realised where my resistance to the bucket list idea originates. I would never have thought to put "watch a sunset over Edinburgh harbour" on my bucket list. In looking to accomplish a set list, how many moments like this would I miss. I recognised I would rather fill my empty bucket with moments of gratitude and wonder than empty it as I cross items off a list. I want to appreciate the many gifts God gives me in the moments of my days. I lack words to describe some of my experiences. Every time I try, I fall back into cliche. I continue to savour them, hoping one day the words will come. If the words never come, it doesn't matter. I've still had the experience.
God gave me many moments of wonder on that trip. Each one is a gift, a glimpse of the complexity of His Creation. Each one a glimpse of His love for me. He knew what I needed in that moment to refresh and restore me after a full day. He fills us until we overflow with Him. Instead of emptying my bucket, I want to fill it with the many unexpected gifts lavished on me as a child of God. Some moments are large and breath taking, others are smaller, close to home and just as important.
I trust God will continue to turn my head so I see the vibrancy of each moment, and each conversation He orchestrates. Life may not always be easy but it is full of God's abundance. I pray your bucket is filled a little more today.
